Hi, my name is McKenzie and I’m a single mother of identical twin boys. I am working part time and i’m taking 12 credit hours of classes but it’s just not cutting it for my monthly bills. I stopped working full time in order to go back to school for Dental Hygiene in hopes that I can make more hourly to support my family but right now I can’t support my family and it’s heart breaking having to make this. I feel like I need to stop school in order to be a better provider but in the long run I know it’s something that needs to be done. I am bartending/waitress part-time and have had countless interviews at different places but with the part time hours I can work it hasn’t worked out because I am at the will and mercy of the daycare hours. On top of this my boys are sick a lot. We have had 9 different surgeries between both boys and many sickness that I have to call off for and there is no one else but me so it’s taking a toll on my work life because I have to call off so often. My monthly rent is $1550, electric has averaged $80-$100, monthly car payment of $265, monthly cell phone bill of $108, car insurance of $127, I drive a Kia Soul which honestly is great in gas but I’m in school and I fill my tank 2-3 times per week so I spend roughly on average $120 on gas per week and then everything else that is needed to provided…food, clothes, soap, shampoo, diapers, wipes and the ungodly amount of medicine (over the counter Zyrtec, Tylenol, ibuprofen) the boys needs and I’m not even touching base on things that I would need like toilet paper, shampoo and conditioner toothpaste, clothes for me, oil changes for car…I finally bit the bullet and filed for child support and the first court date to establish paternity is this October. I do receive snap benefits through the state but because I hadn’t filed for child support (at the time of signing up for the SNAP benefits) I am not receiving enough to get grocery’s throughout the month. I was speaking with someone from the state (of Illinois) who told me the state will look at my situation like this “if you aren’t going to file for child support and ask for help why should we help you?” Which I understand but.. I didn’t and still don’t want his help if he doesn’t want to be involved. I chose to follow through with the pregnancy and he chose to opt out and if a women has a choice I feel a man should as well…. but… things have changed and in order to provide, child support must be done. Once child support is established I was told the first couple of months of the child support will be payed back to the state for the SNAP benefits I’m receiving so I won’t receive any help with the boys until that’s paid back. I am desperate and ashamed to make this. I have reached out to local charities and food pantry and I am either told they are out of funds and to contact them again at a different time or because of my location they can’t help. If you would like more information on my situation I will gladly provide it if you want to send me a message privately. Thank you again for your support.